Whatcom Opinion Columns

A key part of the effectiveness of city government is working with our partners, and one of our most important partners is our state legislature. During the legislative session, I regularly communicate with our representatives in Olympia, and in February I visited our legislators to discuss how...

Anniversaries are a time for reflection and assessment. A decade ago in 2005, NOAA, the federal agency charged with protecting marine mammals, listed the southern resident killer whales under the Endangered Species Act. Despite having learned much about these imperiled whales since then, NOAA has...

The Lummi Nation’s role in the community doesn’t end at the boundaries of the reservation. That’s why the Lummi Nation has always invested in making Whatcom County a safe place to live, work and raise a family.

Bellingham’s passage of rental registration and inspection is imminent. Ignoring calls to quantify the actual number of annual tenant complaints and for an in-depth economic analysis of what the inspection requirements mean for tenants and landlords alike, the city has invoked the new governing...

In nearly 125 years of operation, the Bellingham Public Library has grown to become one of the busiest libraries for communities our size in the nation. In 2014, almost 840,000 visits were made to the library, and our patrons checked out 1.6 million items. More than 16,000 children and families ...

In 1872, at the age of 13, Carrie Chapman Catt noticed her father and the hired man leaving their chores, dressing up and going to town to vote. Her mother was left behind. Catt’s commitment to women’s suffrage began that day.

There is a free film festival coming up. Yes, it is absolutely free and so worth attending. The Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival is showing its 15th year of thought-provoking and inspiring films this month. The film topics range from race relations, immigration, censorship of whistleblowers...

We all lead busy lives, so it’s easy to come home from a long day at work and close the door behind you with little more than a nod to your neighbor. These habits form quickly, especially in a society that values independence and the ability to “do it all” ourselves. The problem...

The Planning and Development Services Department wears many hats in its service to Whatcom County. Enforcement of the various land use codes, critical area and life safety regulations is a part of our duties seldom mentioned. Planning and Development Services is placing a focus on compliance this...